O o o o ott o o o o



Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1-. M. STODDARD.

ORB GONGENTRATOR.

No. 565,812. Patented Aug. 11, 1896.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. STODDARD. ORE CONGENTRATOR.

No. 565,812. Patented Aug. 11, 1896.

Wiigzsszs UNITED STATEsfATENT FFICE.

MERCHANT STODDARD, OF FARMINGTON, IOWA, ASSIGNOR'OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLESH. SCOTT, OF SAME PLACE.

ORE-CONCENTRATORU SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.565,812, dated August 11, 1896.. Application filed September 25,1895.Serial No. 563,650. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: from the particles of earthy matter bybring- Be it known that I, MERCHANT STODDARD, ing them in contact with abody of mercury a citizen of the United States, residing at and formingan amalgam. The ordinary Farmington, in the county of'Van Buren andsluice-boxes in common use have been found 5 5 State of Iowa,haveinvented a new and usepractically useless in handling this ore, forful Ore-Concentrator, of which the following the reason that the goldwould not be taken is a specification. up by the quicksilver and for theadditional This invention relates to an improvement reason that saidgold was so fine that it would in ore concentrators or amalgamators, andbe swept on and awaywith the Water without 60 has for its object tosimplify and improve gravitating to the bottom of the sluice-boxes. theconstruction of devices of this nature In order to overcome thedifficulties just re 7 with a view to obtaining one in which pro ferredto, this invention contemplates imvision is made for saving the finestfloat-gold, parting to the concentrating trough or table for scouringparticles of quartz and removing a rapid and short lateral reciprocationand 65 the mineral coatingtherefrom, and for .savin providinga series ofriffle pans or sections ing and separating the precious metals from ofnovel construction, which are placed withthe tailings of thequartz-mill. in said trough and formed in such manner To this end theinvention contemplates the that when such reciprocating motion is imuse,in connection with a Vibratory or'shakparted to the trough the sand,water, and ore 7o ing concentrator trough or table, of a series depositwill be thoroughly agitated and given of removable riffle-pans of novelconstruc an approximately circular or rotary motion tion, in which theseparated ore is conducted between adjacent riffles or cleats, therebyto and deposited. in a pocket arranged beeffecting a gravitation of theheavierpartineath and connected to the bottom of each cles of theauriferous earthto the bottom of 2 5 riffle-pan. said pans or sections.The quartz or earthy The invention further consists in certain particlescontaining the precious metal are novel features and details ofconstruction thus subjected to a violent agitation and the andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter coating or deposit of iron referredto is fully described, illustrated in the drawings, scoured therefrom insuch manner as to ex- 0 and finallyembodied in the claim. pose the metalto the action of the quick In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 issilver. a perspective'view of an improved ore-con- Referring now to theaccompanying drawcentratorconstruoted in accordance with this ings, 1designates a suitable elongated sup invention. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal porting-frame forming a guiding-base upon 35 sectionthrough thesame. Fig. 3 is a plan which the. ore concentrating trough 2is view thereof. Fig. 4 is an end elevation mounted. This base-framecomprises, essen- I showing the manner of imparting a transtially, twolongitudinal beams arranged in verse reciprocating movement to theconcenparallelism and a series of transverse bars trating-trough. Fig. 5is a transverse verticonnecting said beamsat their upper edges, 9Q 0calsection through the machine, showing also as shown. Between the endtransverse timthe crosssectional shape of the riffle-pans. bers and thetimbers lying next adjacent and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail perspectiveview parallel thereto are arranged guiding and of one of the riffle pansor sections. antifriction rollers 3, the spindles of which Similarnumerals of reference designate have their bearings in the transversetimbers 5 5 corresponding parts in the several figures of just referredto. These rollers are arranged the drawings. at the front and rear ofthe base-frame or ad- In some sections of the country, for injacent tothe longitudinal timbers thereof, as stance, on thePlatte river inColorado, the shown in the cross-sectional view, and are gold taken fromthe river is almost invariably formed with peripheral grooves which areroe 5o coated with iron or other mineral deposit, so adapted to receivedepending ribs or rails 3 that the precious metal cannot be separatedsecured to the bottom of the concentratorbelt or band from any suitablemotor, preferably the same motor which drives the elevator, by means ofwhich the pulverized ore,

&c., is lifted and deposited upon the sieve or screen hereinafterreferred to. To the opposite ends of the driving-shaft 4: are securedgrooved eccentrics 6, from which connecting- 3 rods 7 extend inward andattach pivotally to the ends of the concentrator-trough, the outer endsof said rods having straps 8, which pass around the eccentrics in thegrooves therein. By means a rapid reciprocation is imparted to thetrough 2 for the purpose of agitating the material contained therein.

The tr0ugh2 is divided intov two compartments or gutters by a centrallongitudinal partition orrib 8, and within said gutters arearrangedfriiile-pans 9. These pans maybe made of any desi'redlen'gth andcorrespond in width to the interior transverse measurement of thetrough-gutters, 'so that they will ht snugly therein and be properlyconfined in place during the agitation of the trough, the number ofthese pans or sections being limited only by the length of the trough 2.Each of said pans or section's is in the form of a shallow rectangulartray, which is preferably formed from sheet metal. The bottom of the panis depressed centrally and longitudinally, or made slightly V shaped, soas to form a longitudinal valley or gutter 10, by meansof which theconcentrated ore is conveyed to the lower end of the pan or tray; Atsuch lower end each of the riffle-pans is provided with an aperture 11through its bottom through which the ore may drop intoa cup or pocket12, secured to the under side of said pan. This pocket rests in anaperture formed therefor in the bottom of the concentratortrough 2. a 1

13 designates aseries of trai'isversely disposed riffles or cleats whichare made substantially 'L-shaped in cross-section and arranged atsuitable intervals longitudinally of the pan, The particular sh'ape'ofthese riffles affords an overhanging ledge or flange and material-1yassists in the proper agitation of the sand, water, 820., containedbetween the adjacent riffles or cleats. The bottom edges of I "saidriffles are elevated slightly ab'o vethe bottom of the tray or pan, asshown, so that sufficient space is left to permit the longitudinalpassage of the concentrated ore.

sary. v

Superpos'ed above one of the projecting 'endsof the shakingcon'centratortrough and connected therewith is a transversely-inclining sieve orscreen 14, forn'1ed, preferably, from perforate sheet metal and providedupon three of its sides with vertically-extending guards or fenders 15,the lower end of said screen being left unobstructed to permit theescape of water and the larger particles of quartz therefrom. Thisscreen may be removed when necessary.

In the operation of the device the crushed or pulverized ore isdeposited by the elevator upon the inclined sieve or screen 14simultaneously with a stream of water. The particles of ore of theproper size pass through the screen and fall between the riffies orcleats of the pans or sections 9, and by reason of the receiving end ofthe trough 2 being located at a higher elevation than the discharge endthe material deposited therein gradually works its waytoward suchdischarge end. Owing to the short and rapid vibration of theconcentratojr trough and the riffle-pans therein a thorough and violentagitation is imparted to the water, &c. thus effecting a correspondingagitation of the pulverized ore and the consequent gravitation of theheavier particles containing the precious metal to the bottom *of thepans. During the agitation the iron or other mineral deposit is scouredfrom the particles of "ore, and upon the descent of such particles tothe bottom of the pans the metal is gathered by thefquicksil ver, withwhich such bottom is covered, and finally finds its way through thelongitudinal valleys or gutterslO into the receiving po'ck ets 11, fromwhich it may be conveniently removed when desired. At the same time thegreater mass of 'sand and quartz which is free fro'1n the preciousmetal, by reason of it lighter specific gravity, is retained between theriffles 'orcleats 13, from whence it may be removed after the gold hasbeen separated therefrom and passed into the pockets 11-.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that theconcentrating-trough operates in a perfectly level -and horizontal planeand such mot-ion, together with the particular form of the riflles,results in imparting the desired agitation of the contents of therifflepans. It will be apparent that more than two rows of rifflep'ansmay be employed, according to the capacity which it is'd'esired to givethe concentrator. Theapparatus above described has been found veryefficient in use after a long practical test and will effect a saving ofthe finest float-gold, and such metal as is found in the tailin-gs fromthe quartz-mill, which would otherwise be lost. The apparatus is verysimple and inexpensive in construction, may be manufactured at slightcost, and the feature of the removable riffie pans or sections addsmaterially to the convenience and portability of the device as a whole.7 I

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of constructionmay beresorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of this invention.

forming a pocket or receptacle which is arranged centrally of one end ofthe pan and at the terminus of the V-shaped gutter, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MERCHANT STODDARD.

WVitnesses:

J. W. MILLER, T. W. MOCRARY.

